The present invention relates to the field of lighting devices, and more particularly to lighting devices that provide ornamentation as well as illumination.
Lighting devices, such as lamps, chandeliers, and the like, primarily provide illumination to an area. To enhance their commercial and decorative value, the structure of the lighting device and he shade are often made to be as attractive as possible. When the lighting device is a lamp, its base may be a sculpture, or its shade may have a graceful shape. When the lighting device is a chandelier, it may be hung by a decorative chain, and the light bulbs may be extended on radial arms.
In addition, certain lighting devices have shades that are made of colored glass in patterns, typically known xe2x80x9cTiffanyxe2x80x9d shades. The light emanating from a lighting device with a Tiffany shade is diffused and multi-colored, creating a warm and attractive glow.
Another type of shade for creating an interesting effect with light is that made with pierced, or cut, opaque panels. A fairly common cut pattern is that of a star. When the light from the light source, or bulb, passes through a cut star pattern in an opaque shade, the star shape is projected to a room surface to create an artistic and interesting effect. A similar effect is created by painting an opaque shape onto a shade, allowing a light outline of the shape to be projected outward from the lighting device.
The present invention recognizes that while the concepts of Tiffany style shades and pierced shades are generally considered warm and attractive in appearance, an owner of such a lighting device might, in time, desire a different appearance or lighting effect. However, there is no easy way the owner can alter the existing shade to achieve a different but warm and attractive appearance.
Therefore, it is an object of the present invention to provide a lighting device capable of assuming different configurations and creating a warm and attractive light in any of such configurations.
It is a further object of the invention to provide a lighting device in which the created effect may be easily changed by its user.
Another object is to provide a lighting device which simulates a bubble gum dispenser but gives off an easily changed warm and attractive multi-colored light.
These and other objects will be more clearly understood through the following description.
The invention provides a lighting device capable of creating a variable ornamental lighting effect. The lighting device, in the illustrated embodiment, utilizes the structure of a modified inoperative bubble gum dispenser. The device includes an inner housing surrounding a typically electrical energized light source and an outer housing surrounding and spaced outwardly from the inner housing so that a space forms between the inner and outer housings. Both inner and outer housings are able to transmit light. The space, in a first preferred embodiment, is filled with a quantity of colored and/or shaped light-altering objects, for example multi-colored glass marbles of different diameters. When the light source is illuminated, rays of light project outward through the marbles and the two housings to create a warm and artistic effect. Other items, such as shaped opaque objects, may fill the space between the housings to create different lighting effects. The device incorporates a removable cover which makes it easy to change or rearrange the marbles or other objects impinged upon by the light from the light source.